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Ar-Ra'd (The Thunder)

Verse 17of 43

أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۭ فَسَالَتْ أَوْدِيَةٌۢ بِقَدَرِهَا فَٱحْتَمَلَ ٱلسَّيْلُ زَبَدًۭا رَّابِيًۭا ۚ وَمِمَّا يُوقِدُونَ عَلَيْهِ فِى ٱلنَّارِ ٱبْتِغَآءَ حِلْيَةٍ أَوْ مَتَٰعٍۢ زَبَدٌۭ مِّثْلُهُۥ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحَقَّ وَٱلْبَٰطِلَ ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلزَّبَدُ فَيَذْهَبُ جُفَآءًۭ ۖ وَأَمَّا مَا يَنفَعُ ٱلنَّاسَ فَيَمْكُثُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ﴿١٧

Translation (Sahih International)

He sends down from the sky, rain, and valleys flow according to their capacity, and the torrent carries a rising foam. And from that [ore] which they heat in the fire, desiring adornments and utensils, is a foam like it. Thus Allah presents [the example of] truth and falsehood. As for the foam, it vanishes, [being] cast off; but as for that which benefits the people, it remains on the earth. Thus does Allah present examples.

Word-by-word meaning

أَنزَلَanzalaHe sends down
مِنَminafrom
ٱلسَّمَآءِl-samāithe sky
مَآءًۭmāanwater
فَسَالَتْfasālatand flows
أَوْدِيَةٌۢawdiyatunthe valleys
بِقَدَرِهَاbiqadarihāaccording to their measure
فَٱحْتَمَلَfa-iḥ'tamalaand carries
ٱلسَّيْلُl-sayluthe torrent
زَبَدًۭاzabadana foam
رَّابِيًۭا ۚrābiyanrising
وَمِمَّاwamimmāAnd from what
يُوقِدُونَyūqidūnathey heat
عَلَيْهِʿalayhi[on] it
فِىin
ٱلنَّارِl-nārithe fire
ٱبْتِغَآءَib'tighāain order to make
حِلْيَةٍḥil'yatinornaments
أَوْawor
مَتَـٰعٍۢmatāʿinutensils
زَبَدٌۭzabaduna foam
مِّثْلُهُۥ ۚmith'luhulike it
كَذَٰلِكَkadhālikaThus
يَضْرِبُyaḍribusets forth
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah
ٱلْحَقَّl-ḥaqathe truth
وَٱلْبَـٰطِلَ ۚwal-bāṭilaand the falsehood
فَأَمَّاfa-ammāThen as for
ٱلزَّبَدُl-zabaduthe foam
فَيَذْهَبُfayadhhabuit passes away
جُفَآءًۭ ۖjufāan(as) scum
وَأَمَّاwa-ammāand as for
مَاwhat
يَنفَعُyanfaʿubenefits
ٱلنَّاسَl-nāsathe mankind
فَيَمْكُثُfayamkuthuremains
فِىin
ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚl-arḍithe earth
كَذَٰلِكَkadhālikaThus
يَضْرِبُyaḍribuAllah sets forth
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah sets forth
ٱلْأَمْثَالَl-amthālathe examples

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Two Parables proving that Truth remains and Falsehood perishesThis honorable Ayah contains two parables which affirm that truth remains and increases, while falsehood diminishes and perishes. Allah said,أَنزَلَ مِنَ الْسَّمَآءِ مَآءً(He sends down water from the sky,) He sends rain,فَسَالَتْ أَوْدِيَةٌ بِقَدَرِهَا(and the valleys flow according to their measure,) each valley taking its share according to its capacity, for some valleys are wider and can retain more water than others which are sma...

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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